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Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Easy Roasted Delicata Squash Recipe

This is a recipe that anyone can do. Yes you. You can make this. It's so simple and yet so delicious. Winter squash is an excellent, easily digested carbohydrate that's packed with antioxidant-rich carotenoids like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lutein, beta-cyrpto-xanthin, and zeaxanthin.

I planted winter squash starts, including four delicata squash plants, in many of my garden beds last spring. Squash can be one of the easiest vegetables to grow, as long as it gets enough water early on in the growing season. Just plant organic starts or seeds in nutrient-rich soil that gets plenty of sun, water often, and watch them grow! We're pretty much out of the delicatas we grew but we still have a box of kabocha squash, carnival squash, sugar pie pumpkins, and spaghetti squash sitting in our house…..all from our garden! Winter squash is such a sustainable form of carbohydrates. Just think of the kind of agriculture it takes to grow grains compared to something like squash! I've come to rely on this food more and more for sustained, clean-burning energy.

Serve this simple recipe as part of your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Sprinkle it with fresh parsley and pomegranate arils after it comes out of the oven for a beautiful presentation! Roasted winter squash also essential to use during phases 2 and 3 of our Elimination Diet. You can vary the recipe and use ground cinnamon and nutmeg in place of the black pepper, and use coconut oil in place of the olive oil for a simple dessert. I also like to add a drizzle of pure maple syrup as well to this when making it for dessert.

Easy Roasted Delicata Squash

Serve roasted squash along with a big veggie salad and baked fish or roasted chicken for a balanced meal.

Rinse any dirt off of the squash. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Place the four squash halves skin-side down. Drizzle 1 ½ teaspoons of olive oil into each squash half. Rub the oil over the flesh.

Sprinkle with Herbamare or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Roast for about 35 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately (you can eat the skins you know)!

About the Author

Alissa Segersten holds a Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition from Bastyr University. She is the founder of Whole Life Nutrition, the mother of five children, a whole foods cooking instructor, professional recipe developer, and cookbook author. She is passionate about helping others find a diet that will truly nourish them, and offers elimination diet recipes, healthy gluten-free recipes, paleo and vegan recipes, as well as tips for feeding your family a nourishing, whole foods diet. Alissa is the author of two very popular gluten-free, whole foods cookbooks and guidebooks: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook and Nourishing Meals. She is also the co-author of The Elimination Diet book. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram!

3 comments:

Thank you for this recipe. I love squashes and sweet potatoes! Simple to prepare, yummy, filling and packed with nutrition.

I have heard people say they can't afford to buy organic produce. I wonder if they know how inexpensive and nutritious it is to use more of these delicious vegetables. Adding organic veggies to your regular grocery list may be a budget buster, but if you remove foods with empty calories and refined sugar and replace them with the healthy starches found in sweet potatoes and squash you save money and your health.

I bought some winter squash recently & was going to search online for a recipe....opened my email today & here it was. Thanks a million. :)

Welcome to my blog!

Hi! My name is Alissa Segersten and I've had a love of healthy food and cooking since the age of 10. When I was pregnant with my first daughter in 2001, I diligently began writing down my recipes because so many people would ask for them! Some of these recipes appeared in my first book, The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook. I now have 5 children and am passionate about educating them about our food system so they can make the most informed choices as they grow up and are exposed to a world of processed, chemical-laden foods. Join me in my mission of helping to support families with nourishing meals!